Hot Spot Hunting: Troubleshooting Warm Spots In Your Central Air

With the late summer heat flourishing, your central air conditioning is being tested to its limits right now. If you find a spot in your home that seems consistently warmer than the rest, it may mean that the air flow in the system is inefficient or blocked from that particular vent. Here are a few things you can check to narrow down the source of the problem before you call an AC technician.

Where is the room in the house? One of the most common reasons for one room to be warmer than the rest is its position in the house. Rooms on a south-facing wall are often the warmest in the house. If the room in question is on the second story, that's even more problematic because heat rises. You can help keep the heat accumulation at a minimum by pulling the shades during the day. This keeps the sun from pouring in the windows and heating things up.

Is the room lacking in general circulation? This is the first thing to consider. If the room always feels a little bit stuffy or stale, it may mean that there just isn't enough air movement. If so, you can fix the problem. A ceiling fan is great for this. While it doesn't actually cool the room, it will help distribute the cool air by keeping things moving.

Are there any obstructions in the vent? Check the air conditioning vent in the room. Whether it's clogged with dust or blocked by furniture, either one could cause problems with cool air flow into the space. Make sure the vent is clear so that the air can flow clearly. While you're at it, make sure the vent is open all the way. Sometimes even closing it partially is enough to keep the air from getting in.

Are the rest of the vents open? Although you may have heard that closing the vents to unused rooms makes your air conditioning more efficient, this isn't the case. Central air conditioning is mapped so that it is at its most efficient and effective when you have air flowing throughout the entire house. Make sure there are no closed vents anywhere in the house to increase circulation throughout.

These are just a few of the more common causes of poor cooling in isolated areas of your house. If you aren't able to identify the source of the issue with these tips, you'll want to call a central air technician to examine the air ducts and the compressor itself or pop over to this web-site for more information.

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